The world's favourite root vegetable, the potato comes in innumerable varieties. A member of…

Method

Heat oven to 160C/fan 140C/gas 3. Heat some dripping or butter in a large shallow casserole dish, brown the lamb in batches, lift to a plate, then repeat with the kidneys.

Fry the onions and carrots in the pan with a little more dripping until golden. Sprinkle over the flour, allow to cook for a couple of mins, shake over the Worcestershire sauce, pour in the stock, then bring to the boil. Stir in the meat and bay leaves, then turn off the heat. Arrange the sliced potatoes on top of the meat, then drizzle with a little more dripping. Cover, then place in the oven for about 1½ hrs until the potatoes are cooked.

Remove the lid, brush the potatoes with a little more dripping, then turn the oven up to brown the potatoes, or finish under the grill for 5-8 mins until brown.

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Comments, questions and tips

Absolutely delicious and very easy. I used leg of lamb as I didn't have neck. The whole family ate it including the 2 and 8 year old!

spursod

25th Jul, 2017

Most excellent recipe! Thanks very much. Essentially simple, but so, so tasty. I have used it twice now, and I am something of a novice cook. I have prepared it for four, as per recipe above, but also roughly halved and cooked for two. My wife was well pleased. (I was too!)

Judy M

16th May, 2017

5.05

I really love this recipe! I have the special edition worcester sauce which makes it even better. Not sure they're making it any more as couldn't find it in sainsburys. Does anyone know? This is my first post and I was moved to write in response to Suedeni's comment. How sad that she is counting the fat grams. In my opinion the reason for the increase in obesity isn't due to a bit of fat used in cooking - it's all the processed and fast food which is being eaten. And in fact all the latest research points to carbs as the enemy and encourages us to eat butter - how lovely! This is good wholesome food. I'm making it tonight and will enjoy every mouthful guilt-free :-)

Jod Duplo

27th Apr, 2017

Isn't funny that when we all ate this kind of food people were generally thinner. But I criticise this recipe not out of fat phobia but because it is not traditional and unnecessarily complicated. The way it was cooked was to layer raw potato, onion and fresh lamb. Traditionally, the lamb was rolled in pepper, salt and flour which helps thicken the sauce a bit but flour can be omitted. There was no carrot or Worcester sauce. Stock if you had some but if not a mug of water but not too much - or a stock cube is OK. Frying off the onion and lamb is not necessary and it is amazing how fresh and clean the dish tastes - and how complex and unusual. I would almost always fry off the meat and the aromatic vegetables for beef casseroles but it is not what they did for Lancashire hot pot. It's beauty is simplicity and is why a proper one is unusual and good.

suedeni

13th Dec, 2015

The dish is a blast from the past for me and I am sure is delicious. But I will not be using this recipe. Why? The recommended MAXIMUM amount of saturated fat for a man is 30g per day, and 20g for a woman. A portion of this dish has 56g of fat, of which 26g are saturated. So even without any other meals that day, a woman will be over the daily limit and a man will be close from just one meal. And 993 cals .... that's a lot. OK, you may say, but it's not for every day. Yes, and the temptation may be to have more and more of such days. All this in the context of a nation that is increasingly overweight and obese ("grossly fat"). According to http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/loseweight/Pages/statistics-and-causes-of-the-obesity-epidemic-in-the-UK.aspx : One in four British adults is obese, according to the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation, prompting fears that the UK has become the "fat man of Europe". And so on.

maggiebleksley

18th Oct, 2016

5.05

I agree there are a great deal more calories and a much larger amount of fat that I think would be good for us, but this is an old family favourite that we haven't eaten for several months. I shall simply use a low-fat version of butter and much less of it and fewer potatoes. It may still be a little over the top, but what a miserable life if you never give yourself an occasional little treat!

fairystoryteller

6th May, 2016

Steady on! A balanced diet might mean that the day either side you eat very light meals. Or maybe you have a smaller portion. Or maybe you don't worry about it too much and just do lots of exercise. And maybe, just maybe, being told all the time what we should and shouldn't eat is part of the problem and everyone should just lighten up, enjoy food and 'listen' to their bodies.

HV1

5th Apr, 2016

Wow, what a lecture, for an occasional dish, when the fact content can be reduced very easily!!!

vintagemunchkin

5th May, 2015

3.8

Made this for my Lancashire fella and he ate the whole thing. I omitted the kidney as he said his Mum makes it without. Was happy with it!

shivtc

23rd Jan, 2015

5.05

Lovely. Made up as half measures just for the two of us, very tasty. Will def make again.

Pages

Please can you tell me if you want to freeze this, do you freeze it before cooking it?

goodfoodteam

10th Dec, 2015

No we would freeze it after cooking to the end of step 2. The potatoes may break up, but it won't effect the taste.

lilmssquirrel

10th Mar, 2014

How thick should the potato slices be?

shivtc

23rd Jan, 2015

5.05

I did quarter inch and they were perfect. I think any less and they go too crispy/overlooked.

goodfoodteam

24th Mar, 2014

Hi there. Ideally the potatoes would be as thin as you can get them - about 2-3mm.

JAMmum

27th Feb, 2014

5.05

I made this for my daughters 12th Birthday last week - it's her favourite and we usually eat it out - I've never cooked it before. Given courage by the 5 star ratings I tried it - without kidney - and have 3 questions. I cooked it in the slow cooker but I had loads of quite runny gravy and potatoes a little soggy. Is this because it was in a slow cooker or because I didn't add kidneys. If I added kidneys and cut them up tiny do you think my family would notice - are they quite strong tasting? Finally, what type of potato is best and how best to season the potatoes. I am just making it again and I have sliced the potatoes thicker and added less stock so will see how it comes out tonight. My first attempt was delicious and everybody loved it. Thanks for all the reviews because I wouldn't have dared try make it without these!!!!!

goodfoodteam

10th Mar, 2014

Hi there, thanks for getting in touch. The extra liquid and the texture of the potatoes is because you're using the slowcooker - the liquid doesn't evaporate during cooking and it tends to make the texture of vegetables a lot softer. Next time, add about 1/3 less liquid. Kidneys have quite a strong flavour so it is best to leave them out if you think that your family won't like the taste of them. Maris Piper are a good potato to use - cutting them quite chunky will help.

sexmad84

6th Jan, 2014

I have just got a slow cooker and would like to know how to do a Lancashire hotpot in a slow cooker ?

goodfoodteam

13th Jan, 2014

Hi there, thanks for getting in touch. Yes, this recipe can be made in a slow cooker too. Make the recipe as directed, but cook in the slow cooker on low for eight hours or high for four hours. Enjoy the hot pot! BBC Good Food web team

chocolatemonster

2nd Aug, 2017

5.05

I added a touch of cayenne paper and some garlic seasoning. Also seasoned the potatos with garlic and salt
Very nice recipe :) thank you

w1lmington

15th Sep, 2013

Just to add to all the comments: I threw in a handful of pearl barley just like my Grandmother used to and I think it makes it very traditional. Did leave out the kidneys and it was very tasty.

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